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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bound — certain
  3. press — to push
  4. rash — a series
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. charge — in control
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. chip — to eat
  18. content — the amount
  19. bound — obliged
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rash — hasty
  22. content — happy
  23. press — newspapers
  24. plane — in geometry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com